Originally Posted by merlinextraligh
As for lining up upfront, as or more important is being able to clip in quickly without looking at your pedal. If you fumble around that prized starting position is squandered. Conversely, if you can clip in quickly, youll still be able to get well placed even in the second or third row.
+1 I started racing on the velodrome where you never have to clip in after the race has started, and although I had been riding clipless on the road for 2 years before my first crit, I found that I took longer to clip in than others, and it cost me. You get real good real quick after that.